Fluent
by RandmWriter
Summary: In which Present Mic finally learns how much Class 1-A has come to understand Aizawa.


Hizashi always enjoyed training with Class 1-A.

It was nothing short of a treat for him - battling it out with this next generation of heroes - and the fact that they provided a _genuine_ challenge for him was definitely a plus.

And today was no exception.

Hizashi always found "Capture the Flag" to be a fun training exercise, but it was even more fun when you threw in a few more teachers into the mix as the class' opponents. And being given the chance to scream at teens non-stop as he defended the flag - perched on some peak like a villain straight out of a video game? He wasn't ashamed to say he enjoyed it _way_ more than he probably should have.

The class did well in the exercise - Midoriya's ability to strategise was particularly noteworthy - but the vocal hero knew that what really sealed their victory against the pro-heroes was their ability to cooperate with one another. Even Bakugō was learning how to work in a team, and he considered that a victory in and of itself.

Hizashi's gaze rested on the class - on twenty students panting heavily as sweat dripped from their faces and pooled on their collars. They stood there, with hands on their knees as they tried to calm their racing hearts, still winded from the exertion of their latest exercise. Their hero costumes seemed to suit them better every time Hizashi saw them, and at the thought, he couldn't bite back his smile.

He wasn't going to lie; he was _proud_. Heck, they even made him go a bit hoarse towards the end, and that was no easy feat. And if _he_ was proud, he was certain his best friend was as well.

He _had_ to be; Shōta was their homeroom teacher after all, and this was his idea in the first place.

The blonde-haired man turned to face the Erasure hero to confirm his suspicions, only to find his friend seemingly more interested in the notes on his clipboard. He wasn't even _glancing_ at his class, and Hizashi had to resist the urge to sigh.

Aizawa scanned the notes once - twice - thrice for good measure - before finally putting them down and fixing his gaze on his class. Immediately, the majority of the class perked up at their homeroom teacher's observation - many smiling (albeit exhaustedly) in eager anticipation of his assessment.

The underground hero gave his class a once-over before he finally spoke.

"The day after tommorow we'll be having endurance training. I expect that all of you will take the time until then to rest and recover. We'll be focusing on using your quirks for longer periods of time with shorter intervals in between, so be prepared."

He gave his class one last inspection before nodding once, firmly.

"Dismissed."

Without another word, the Erasure hero turned around and began to walk away from the training grounds, back to UA's main building.

And really, Hizashi wanted to bury his face in his hands in exasperation.

Couldn't his friend have afforded the class a single word of praise? A simple "good job" or "you all did well"? The vocal hero knew UA didn't take to coddling its students, but even _he_ knew a bit of positive reinforcement was in order. The kids did quite well, even by the school's standards, and they deserved a pat on the back.

And he would give it to them.

"_Heyyyyy_ little listeners! You all did a great job a while ago! Gotta say, that last strategy of yours caught us all off guard, so keep up the good work!"

Hizashi finished it off with a thumbs up for good measure.

"Y'know…" he added with the slightest hesitation. "I'm sure Shōta thinks you all did a great job too. He has a funny way of showing it, but he's definitely proud of you all."

And it was_ true_. Hizashi didn't miss the flash of pride in his friend's eyes, and the imminent training session he had planned was a sign he believed they were capable of being stronger. It was his way of showing that he was proud and that he cared - and to the blonde man it was clear as day.

_But his class didn't know that._

They weren't fluent in Aizawa as he was, and he was worried that the class would eventually come to resent their seemingly disinterested and aloof teacher. His worries, however, were apparently for naught. As soon as he finished his statement, many members of the class seemed to laugh. He would be lying if he said it didn't confuse him a little.

"It's okay, Mic-sensei! We know!" Uraraka said with a smile, and her classmates nodded in agreement.

And okay… Hizashi was a little surprised.

They… knew? They could read Aizawa too? Come to think of it, they didn't seem _the least bit_ disappointed when Shōta dismissed them - and if he remembered right, their smiles even seemed to _widen_ when their teacher finished speaking. But that was… was that possible? Did his friend's class _really_-

"Aizawa-sensei doesn't tell us he's happy with our work outright, kero," Asui chimed in, interrupting the pro-hero's train of thought. "But you can tell he's glad with the way he acts."

"Sensei nodding in that firm way of his is a good sign too," Ojiro added. "It means he's satisfied with our work."

"I believe Aizawa-sensei aims to push us to greater heights by assigning rigorous training activities, in line with UA's philisophy!" Iida announced, arms chopping in his patented, robotic manner. "Such dedication from its faculty is only to be expected from an institution as grand as UA!"

Mouth slightly hanging open in shock, Hizashi could see Bakugō crossing his arms from the back. The Explosion-user scoffed.

"_Tch_. Aizawa-sensei isn't fucking_ touchy-feely-_"

"-But he has his own manly way of showing us he's proud of us!" Kirishima finished with a smile.

One by one, the rest of the class started piping in, and Hizashi could only listen in surprise and awe.

"He doesn't really have to say it-"

"-he even smiles really small sometimes-!"

"-though he tries to hide his tiny smiles in his scarf-!"

"-I mean, yeah, he's strict, but that's just how he is-"

"-it's not really an issue-"

"-I think it's kind of cool-"

"-And no matter what," Midoriya said finally - smiling at his English teacher with a grin shone with the surest of confidence, "You can _always_ see it in Aizawa-sensei's eyes."

At Izuku's words, the class nodded in agreement.

And Hizashi was struck _speechless_.

How was it possible that this class learned to read his best friend so quickly and so _accurately_? That they seemed to understand the Erasure hero in ways others didn't even seem to be capable of after knowing him for longer? He knew they were perceptive, but _this_… this was on a whole different level. Shōta's mask of indifference and gruffness hadn't pushed them away in the slightest, and what's more, they even seemed to accept their homeroom teacher for exactly who he was - learning to read between the lines instead of asking him to be more obvious.

It was a concept he couldn't wrap his mind around entirely, even after he made it back to the faculty lounge. But as he saw Aizawa grading homework - pen tapping quietly against the paper sheets - he walked up to his friend and announced without preamble,

"You're lucky to have your class."

Aizawa scoffed at his words, but Hizashi didn't miss the fondness concealed in the sound. He didn't miss the way his friend's eyes flicked to the class picture on his desk, either, before onyx orbs locked onto his.

The underground hero's voice was unwavering; definite; _sure_.

**"I know."**

And Hizashi smiled - certain that he did.

(He could see it in his friend's eyes, after all.)


End file.
